Zipper structure

ABSTRACT

A zipper formed of a pair of zipper tapes interconnected by a plurality of zipper teeth has a pair of spaced toothless zones at opposite ends of the rows of zipper teeth with a first rigid bridge member secured to the zipper tapes across one of these zones in spaced relation to the adjacent zipper teeth thereby to define a first opening in the zipper between the tapes. Means forming a bottom stop is operatively connected across the zipper tapes at the other of the toothless zones and defines a second opening in the zipper between the tapes whereby the zipper is adapted to be stretched and supported in a relatively fixed position between a pair of spaced projections respectively extending through the openings in the zipper in order to facilitate sealing of the zipper tapes to sheets of thermoplastic material.

United States Patent [191 Peterson 1 ZIPPER STRUCTURE [75] lnventor: Everett A. Peterson, Roslyn Heights,

[73] Assignee: Everett A. Peterson, Roslyn Heights,

[22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 412,568

[52] U.S. Cl 24/205.1l R; 24/205.16 D; 156/66 [51] Int. Cl. A44b 19/36; A44b 19/34 [58] Field of Search 24/205.l1 L, 205.11 F,

24/205.l1 R, 205 R, 205.16 R; 156/66; 112/406, 105, 265

1 May 20, 1975 Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gelak Attorney, Agent, or FirmLewis I-l. Eslinger; Alvin Sinderbrand 5 7] ABSTRACT A zipper formed of a pair of zipper tapes interconnected by a plurality of zipper teeth has a pair of spaced toothless zones at opposite ends of the rows of zipper teeth with a first rigid bridge member secured to the zipper tapes across one of these zones in spaced relation to the adjacent zipper teeth thereby to define a first opening in the zipper between the tapes. Means forming a bottom stop is operatively connected across the zipper tapes at the other of the toothless zones and defines a second opening in the zipper between the tapes whereby the zipper is adapted to be stretched and supported in a relatively fixed position between a pair of spaced projections respectively extending through the openings in the zipper in order to facilitate sealing of the zipper tapes to sheets of thermoplastic material.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ZIPPER STRUCTURE The present invention relates to zipper constructions and, more particularly, to a zipper having a pair of closed end portions which is adapted to be secured to a sheet or sheets of thermoplastic material.

The manufacture of articles formed of a synthetic or thermoplastic material which include a zipper has been beset by numerous problems in the past in connection with the attachment of the zipper to the adjacent material. Generally, it has been found to be unsatisfactory to sew the thermoplastic material to a zipper and therefore there have been numerous developments in connection with electronic or heat sealing of the zippers to the thermoplastic materials in order to mount the zipper thereon. For example, in constructions such as plastic seat covers and the like which define an enclosure having an opening therein through which an interior cushion is inserted, the opening is normally closed by a zipper formed from a pair of zipper tapes secured together in the conventional manner by zipper teeth, with the zipper tapes being sealed to respective sheets of thermoplastic material forming the seat cover. In such constructions the zipper is normally closed at both ends and there have been numerous problems in connection with keeping the zipper in a fixed position with respect to the sheets of thermoplastic material during the sealing operation. These problems arise because the zipper tapes generally have a natural tendency to curl so that it is relatively difficult to hold the zipper in a flat straight extended position with respect to the sheets of thermoplastic material during the heat sealing process.

Typically, zippers have been held in place manually or with relatively complex jigs, double faced tapes and spring clips in order to keep the zipper in proper alignment with the sealing die. Not only are each of these proposed arrangements expensive, but they are all often unsatisfactory since when the sealing die is reciprocated with respect to the zipper and overlapped thermoplastic sheets, the zipper is often disturbed, or moved from the desired position, thereby forming an improper seal. Moreover, when this occurs, the sealing die may become engaged with the zipper teeth, thereby damaging the die or the zipper teeth themselves. Thus, where metal zipper teeth are used, the die faces can be damaged or where plastic or polyester teeth are used, the teeth can be deformed. In addition, the prior art jigs and spring clips used to hold the zipper in prior devices are relatively difficult to use and require inordinate amounts of manual labor, particularly where an enclosed item such as a seat cushion is being formed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel zipper construction which will materially simplify the process of heat sealing a zipper to a pair of synthetic or thermoplastic sheets.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a zipper construction which is adapted to be readily and rapidly heat sealed to a pair of synthetic or thermoplastic sheets.

Another object of the present invention is to form a zipper of the character described which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a zipper construction is provided in which a pair of apertures or openings are formed in the zipper by which the zipper may be mounted in a relatively extended and fixed position with respect to a heat sealing die so that the position of the zipper is maintained at all times during the heat sealing process. This is accomplished by providing on a conventional zipper, having toothless zones formed therein at opposite ends, a first bridge secured between the tapes of the zipper at one zone to define a first opening in the zipper tape adjacent the ends of the row of teeth in the zipper and bottom stop means at the opposite end of the zipper, adjacent the opposite end of the rows of teeth thereon (but spanning the other toothless zone of the zipper) constructed to define a second opening in the zipper. In this manner the opening in the bottom stop and the opening formed by the first bridge of the zipper are available to receive properly spaced projections in the sealing die structure so as to hold the zipper in a fixed extended position on the projections during the sealing process.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawnings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a heat sealing device having a zipper mounted thereon which is constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken away plan view of a zipper constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged broken away view of another embodiment of a zipper tape according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of one end of another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a sealing device 10 consisting of a bed or plate 12 and a reciprocally movable heat sealing die 14 has a zipper 16, con structed in accordance with the present invention, mounted thereon for securement to a pair of sheets of thermoplastic material 18. The sealing device 10 may be a conventional electronic sealing device or a conventional heat sealing device which, in either case, has a pair of projections 20 extending upwardly from the bed 12. These projections are located to extend through a pair of apertures 22, 24 formed in zipper 16, in accordance with the present invention. By this arrangement, zipper 16 is held in a flat and straight configuration on base plate 12 of the sealing device 10, so that die 14, when moved downwardly to position its sealing faces 14' in engagement with sheets 18, will be properly positioned with respect to the zipper and the zipper itself will not be disturbed by movement of the die. Thus, upon operation of the die the zipper will be sealed to sheet 18 along the seal lines 18' shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. In this connection it is noted that sealing surfaces 14 may be flat to form a simple seal or may be tapered and/or grooved in the conventional manner to form a tear seal where desired.

It also is noted that die 14 may have a longitudinal groove 15 formed therein to accommodate the teeth of zipper 16 and the projections 20. Alternatively, projections 20 may be formed in groove in any convenient manner for supporting the zipper 16 in the same man ner. In either case the faces 14 serve to seal sheets 18 to the zipper tapes of zipper 16 when engaged therewith in accordance with the conventional sealing processes formed by electronic or heat sealing devices.

Zipper 16, as seen more clearly in FIGS. 2-4, is formed of a pair of zipper tapes 26, of conventional construction, which may be formed of a thermoplastic material or a natural fabric material embedded with a thermoplastic material, resin or the like. Such thermoplastic materials may be polyethylene or polyvinylchloride or other suitable thermoplastic materials well known to those skilled in the art. In any case, zipper tapes 26 are secured together by a pair of rows 28 of zipper teeth 30, secured to the inner edges 32 of tapes 26 in the conventional manner. The teeth 30 may be formed of metal, plastic, polyester or the like and, of course, are selectively intermeshed with one another, so as to selectively interconnect the tapes 26 by a conventional slide member 27.

The rows 28 of zipper teeth are shorter than the length of the zipper tapes 26 so as to form zones 34, 36

respectively in the zipper tape, which zones do not have teeth therein. These zones may be formed in any convenient well known manner, such as for example, by removing zipper teeth from the zipper chain during the zipper manufacturing process. During that process, the zipper slide 27 may be placed on the rows of zipper teeth 28, at the opened zone 34 at the end 38 of zipper 16.

In accordance with the present invention, zipper 16 is formed so as to be closed at both ends for use in constructions such as pillow cases or the like where both ends of the opening in the article are closed. In accordance with an important feature of the present invention the means for closing the ends of the zipper are utilized in order to form mounting means to properly mount the zipper in sealing device 10. Thus, as seen for example in the embodiment of FIG. 2, a first bridge member 40 is mounted on the zipper between tapes 26 across the toothless zone 34, adjacent to the end 42 of the row of teeth 28, thereby to define the opening or space 24 which extends through the zipper between tapes 26. Bridge 40 can be formed and secured to tapes 26 in any convenient manner, such as by crimping or the like. Preferably, bridge 40 is relatively large and curved so that opening 24 is relatively wide and adapted to receive the wide portion 45 of slide 27 when the zipper is fully closed during use. In any case, how ever, opening 24 is adapted to receive one of the projections on base 12 in the sealing device 10. It is noted that in each illustrative embodiment of the present invention the bridge 40 may be of substantially the same construction, as illustrated in the drawings.

At the opposite end 45 of zipper 16, a bottom stop structure 46 is provided adjacent the end 48 of the rows 28 of teeth 30, so as to provide a stop for the slide 27 to prevent it from being removed from the zipper. The bottom stop structure 46 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 is formed as a single strip of metal or the like which, as seen in FIG. 5, has a first end portion 47 having legs or teeth 48 which are crimped or otherwise secured to and across zipper tapes 26 in the conventional matter for bottom stops. However, in accordance with a feature of the present invention, bottom stop structure 46 has an extended flat portion 49 overlying the zipper tapes 26 including an aperture 50 formed therein which defines the opening 24 in the zipper chain and which receives one of the projections 20 on bed 12 of sealing device 10.

Projections 20 are spaced from one another a distance which is slightly greater than the distance between opening 24 and opening 50 in bottom stop 46, so that when the zipper is placed in the sealing device, with the projections extending through the openings, the zipper will be slightly stretched and held in a fixed position and straight configuration in the sealing device.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, opening 24 can be formed in cooperation with a conventional-unapertured bottom stop 52, as seen in FIG. 3, by means of a second and preferably slightly larger bridge 54 mounted on the zipper across the tapes 26, and across the second toothless zone 36, in spaced relation to the bottom stop 52. In this manner the aperture 24 appears between the second bridge 54 and bottom stop 52 and between the tapes 26, for receiving one of the projections 20 of the sealing device 10, in the same manner as described above with respect to the apertures 50, 24 in the embodiment of FIG. 2.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, bridge 54 can be positioned immediately adjacent the bottom stop 52 with an aperture 58 formed therein defining the opening 24 which is adapted to receive the projection 20 in the heat sealing device. In either case bridge 54 is secured to tapes 26 in the manner conventional for bottom stops, i.e. by crimping or holding the lead teeth of the bottom stop into the zipper tapes.

It is noted that each of the embodiments of the invention, illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, serve substantially the same purpose in that they provide at opposite ends of the zipper means for mounting the zipper in a relatively convenient manner in the sealing device 10. By this construction, the problems of the prior art are avoided in that no special jigs or mounting structures are required in order to keep the zipper in a fixed position with respect to the die 14 or the sheets 18 to which it is to be secured.

Moreover, by the provision of the present invention with the bridges at opposite ends thereof, the zippers can be provided in uniform lengths for a manufacturing process and even can be mounted in magazines for individual dispensation to the sealing device 10 in accordance with a timed sequence so that the operation of sealing the zippers to the thermoplastic sheets becomes relatively automatic, requiring little or no manual labor as was the case in previously proposed processes.

It is noted that although the above described embodiments of the invention relate to zippers closed at both ends, in another form of the invention for use in zippers for slacks or the like wherein the tapes 26 at one end of the zipper must be free, the bridge 40 can be eliminated. This construction is shown in the embodiment of the invention partly illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein it is seen that the end 38 of zipper 16 is open and bridge 40 is removed. In this form, however, a top stop 59 may be provided on one of the tapes 26, after slide 27 is placed on the zipper to prevent later removal of the slide. In any case, in this embodiment of the invention, the aperture 60 in the pull tab 62 of slide 27 can be positioned over the zone 34 of removed teeth (as shown in dotted lines) to define the aperture or opening 22 for receiving one of the projections 20. The opposite end of the zipper would then have a bottom stop structure such as shown in any of the embodiments of FIGS. 2-4 to form the other mounting opening 24.

Accordingly, it is seen that a relatively simple and inexpensively constructed zipper structure is provided which permits rapid and accurate heat sealing of a zipper tape to sheets of thermoplastic material in a conventional sealing process. In fact, it is estimated that the labor saving effected by the use of the present invention will be between 100 to 300 percent of the labor presently used in conventional processes.

Although illustrative embodients of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A zipper adapted to be heat sealed to a pair of sheets of thermoplastic material in a heat sealing die structure, said zipper comprising a pair of zipper tapes having first and second end portions, a pair of rows of zipper teeth respectively secured to said zipper tapes and adapted to be intermeshed to secure said tapes together, said zipper teeth rows extending between positions on said tapes inwardly of said first and second end portions thereby to define first and second toothless zones respectively on said zipper at the first and second end portions thereof; a zipper slide mounted on said row of zipper teeth wherein said zipper teeth are engaged when said slide is adjacent said first toothless zone, a first rigid bridge member operatively secured to said zipper tapes across said first toothless zone substantially adjacent to the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row and positioned such that it defines a first confined and marginally bounded opening in said tape between the bridge and slide when the zipper is closed, for receiving a first mounting projection on said die structure, and means operatively and permanently secured to said zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent to the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row for forming a bottom stop for said slide and having a second confined and marginally bounded opening in said means between the zipper tapes at said second toothless zone when the zipper is closed for receiving a second mounting projection on said die structure whereby said zipper is adapted to be supported in said relatively fixed position in said die structure between said mounting projections on said structure which projections respectively extend through said openings during heating sealing of said zipper tapes to said thermoplastic sheets.

2. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said zipper tapes contain a thermoplastic material adapted to be respectively sealed to sheets of thermoplastic material to form a seam therebetween.

3. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a bottom stop bridge operatively secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row, and a second rigid bridge operatively secured to said zipper tapes across said second zone in spaced relation to said bottom stop bridge to define said second opening therebetween.

4. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a bottom stop bridge operatively secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row and a second rigid bridge operatively secured to said zipper tapes adjacent to said bottom stop bridge, said second bridge member having an aperture formed therein during said second opening.

5. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a one piece bottom stop bridge operatively and permanently secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth and the adjacent end of said row, said bottom stop bridge having an aperture formed therein defining said second opening. 

1. A zipper adapted to be heat sealed to a pair of sheets of thermoplastic material in a heat sealing die structure, said zipper comprising a pair of zipper tapes having first and second end portions, a pair of rows of zipper teeth respectively secured to said zipper tapes and adapted to be intermeshed to secure said tapes together, said zipper teeth rows extending between positions on said tapes inwardly of said first and second end portions thereby to define first and second toothless zones respectively on said zipper at the first and second end portions thereof; a zipper slide mounted on said row of zipper teeth wherein said zipper teeth are engaged when said slide is adjacent said first toothless zone, a first rigid bridge member operatively secured to said zipper tapes across said first toothless zone substantially adjacent to the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row and positioned such that it defines a first confined and marginally bounded opening in said tape between the bridge and slide when the zipper is closed, for receiving a first mounting projection on said die structure, and means operatively and permanently secured to said zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent to the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row for forming a bottom stop for said slide and having a second confined and marginally bounded opening in said means between the zipper tapes at said second toothless zone when the zipper is closed for receiving a second mounting projection on said die structure whereby said zipper is adapted to be supported in said relatively fixed position in said die structure between said mounting projections on said structure which projections respectively extend through said openings during heating sealing of said zipper tapes to said thermoplastic sheets.
 2. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said zipper tapes contain a thermoplastic material adapted to be respectively sealed to sheets of thermoplastic material to form a seam therebetween.
 3. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a bottom stop bridge operatively secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row, and a second rigid bridge operatively secured to said zipper tapes across said second zone in spaced relation to said bottom stop bridge to define said second opening therebetween.
 4. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a bottom stop bridge operatively secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth at the adjacent end of said row and a second rigid bridge operatively secured to said zipper tapes adjacent to said bottom stop bridge, said second bridge member having an aperture formed therein during said second opening.
 5. The zipper as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises a one piece bottom stop bridge operatively and permanently secured to said pair of zipper tapes across said second toothless zone adjacent the zipper teeth and the adjacent end of said row, said bottom stop bridge having an aperture formed therein defining said second opening. 